I Will Always Find You
by OUATlover2000
Summary: David Nolan woke up from a coma 20 years early and remembers two things. His name and his daughter, Emma. He goes to the towns lawyer for a little help in tracking his baby down. (No fake marriage between Kathryn and David.) Mostly DaddyCharming, but eventual MamaSnow and Snowing.
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: David Nolan woke up from a coma 20 years early and remembers two things. His name and his daughter, Emma. He goes to the towns lawyer for a little help in tracking his baby down. (No fake marriage between Kathryn and David.)_

 **Chapter 1**

He heard a voice. It was familiar, too familiar. "The bandit took off on her horse. "I will find you." The prince called after the bandit. "I will always find you." He said more to himself than anything." The familiar voice said to him. "Well. I think that's enough for today Mr. Doe."

Before he knew it, his eyes fluttered open and his hand moved to rest atop hers.

She jumped up. "Oh my God! You're awake!" She turned to the doorway. "Somebody page Dr. Whale!"

"Emma." He croaked out. "Emma." He repeated.

She leaned down. "I can't hear you sir. Can you say that again?"

"Emma."

Just then the doctor came rushing in and started poking and prodding at him. "Sir! Can you hear me?" He nodded. "Good. Can you tell me your name?"

"David Nolan." He rasped out. His throat hurt. The woman from before helped him to drink a glass of water. "Emma." He said. "My daughter. I have a daughter. Where's Emma?" He asked. "How long have I been here?"

"8 years."

David's eyes widened. "8 years? Emma. I need to find Emma."

Ignoring the urgency in his patients voice, the doctor went on telling him about recovery. "I'm going to keep you here for a few days."

The woman could tell David was about to object, so she stepped in. "I could talk to a lawyer, he's like the only one in town. He might be able to help you." She said rolling her eyes at Dr. Whale's rudeness.

"Thank you..."

"Mary Margaret." She finished. "My name's Mary Margaret."

He smiled weakly. "Thank you Mary Margaret. I'd appreciate that."

XXX

Mary Margaret left the hospital and went straight to Mr. Gold's Pawn shop. "Be with you in a moment!" She waited patiently and within minutes Mr. Gold greeted her with a tight smile. "Ah, Miss Blanchard. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you'd mind swinging by the hospital to see a patient. I'm assuming you heard that the John Doe that woke up earlier today."

Mr. Gold nodded. "You'd assume correctly. What does he need from me?"

"The patient- Mr. Nolan- he has a daughter and he needs help locating her. So, if you could just stop by and talk with him…?"

After some convincing, Mr. Gold agreed to go talk with David. He closed the shop a little early and stopped by before visiting hours were over.

"Mr. Nolan?"

David looked up from his laptop- he'd been researching the name Emma from 8 years ago. "That's me."

"I'm Mr. Gold, a lawyer. I got a very convincing visit today to come see you."

David smiled weakly. "I have a daughter. I don't remember much. Just her name and that I love her. Her name's Emma."

"Emma." The man breathed out. "What a lovely name." He said with a glint in his eye. "Tell you what, Mr Nolan. I'll look into it, free of charge."

His head snapped up. "Really?! I… I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"Let's just say… you owe me one, in the future." Mr Gold said with a bit of a creepy smirk.

XXX  
It took a few weeks, but Mr Gold finally had a lead on David's daughter. 8 years ago, a baby was found on the side of the road with a hand-knitted blanket, with the name _Emma_ sewn into it.

By this time, David had a job and went back to living in the farmhouse that Regina had set up with the curse.

Gold dug a little deeper and and found Emma's social worker, right here in Maine. He found a phone number and made a call to a certain Cassandra Stone. She's been Emma's social worker since she was found all those years ago.

" _Cassandra Stone of Maine Social Services." She answered._

" _Hello Miss Stone. My name is Robert Gold. I'm the lawyer of a David Nolan. I'm aware that you've been with a certain child since she was an infant. Emma Swan?"_

" _Yes, yes. Such a sweet girl… if you get to know her. She's had a bit of a hard life. Are you looking into fostering her?"_

" _No. There's a chance that I know who her biological father is. He's been in a coma for 8 years. When he woke up, he was demanding to see his daughter Emma. I did some looking around and Emma Swan was found on the side of the road on the same day that Mr. Nolan was."_

" _How could that have happened?" The social worker questioned. "Would they not have been found together?"_

" _I'm unsure of that. The only explanation I could come up with is the woman that found him somehow missed the child. I believe my suspicions are right, but I'd like to send you a sample of Mr. Nolan's DNA to confirm it."_

" _Of course! Of course!"_

Later that day Mr Gold went to go tell David the news. David happily got his blood drawn to be sent out so it could be tested.

XXX

Emma Swan sat in her room trying ignore her foster brother going on and on about her not _really_ being a part of the family. "You know, _my_ mom doesn't love you. We just need extra money so they could buy me more stuff. That what _my_ dad told us."

She rolled her eyes and laid back on the flat in her room, trying to block out his voice, pretending it doesn't bother her. "Shut up Jake. I get it. I'm not your sister."

"I will not tolerate such rudeness in my house young lady!" Mrs. Thomas said from the doorway.

Emma shot up in her bed. "Uh. I-I'm sorry. It won't happen again." She promised.

"It better not!" She turned to her son. "Jakey, my prince. Are you treating Emma with the respect she deserve?"

Jake nodded. "I told her mom! I told her! She knows you love me more and than her! She's orphan always has been! Always will be! Right Emma!"

She was biting her lip, if she didn't get a hold of herself, she'd either cry or say something she'd regret.

Luckily she didn't have to answer as the doorbell rang. Emma sat on her bed, doing her best not to cry when her social worker came in. "Cassie!" Emma said relief all over her face.

"Grab your things. I'll explain on the way sweetie."

Emma nodded and grabbed her book bag that contained her baby blanket and 2 books- her ugly duckling book and her storybook that she's had for as long as she could remember. "What's going on?" She asked after buckling herself up in the backseat.

"I'm taking you to crossmatch your DNA. Do you know what that means?" Emma shook her head. "It's a blood test. We're going to check it against someone else's. I don't want you getting your hopes up though."

XXX

"It's a match?" Cassandra asked the lab technician in disbelief. "He's her father? The blood I gave you… belongs to her father?"

The technician nodded. "Yes ma'am. Should I tell her? Or do you wanna do the honors?"

"I'll do it." She left the techie and went over to the 8 year old swinging her feet back and forth, sitting on a chair in the waiting room. "I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me. I can handle it."

Cassandra smiled at her. "I'm not gonna be your social worker for much longer."

Emma's face fell. "What? Why? You can't- why are you smiling?"

"Because Emma. You're going home." She could see that Emma was still confused. "Your dad's been looking for you. He wants you Emma. He loves you."

Emma's eyes widened. "What? You're lying." She whispered. "Nobody wants me." She looked into her social workers eyes and saw nothing but honesty. "Why didn't he come looking for me before?"

"He's been in the hospital since you were a baby. He was in something called a coma. It means that he's asleep for-"

Emma nodded. "I know what it means. Rihanna at my last group home was there because her grampa was in a coma. That's why I've been here? Because my dad's been asleep since I was a baby?"

"Yes. I think it's high time you go home."

XXX

Mr Gold just got off the phone with Cassandra Stone. The DNA was a match. Emma is on her way to Storybrooke. The cure is well on it's way to breaking. He left his shop and went to the sheriff's station to see a certain deputy.

"Sheriff Humbert. Is deputy Nolan here?" Gold asked, walking into the station.

The sheriff nodded. "David! Gold is here to see you!" He yelled into the back filing room.

Seconds later David was standing in front of Gold. "Are the test results in? Is it a match?" He asked anxiously.

"Emma will be here nearing 7 o'clock tonight."

David smiled brightly and held his hand out to shake with Mr Gold. "Thank you Gold. I don't know how to thank you enough."

"Just keep in mind Mr. Nolan, you owe me a favor." And with that, he left.

David turned to his boss. "Graham. My daughter's coming home." He said with all the joy in the world.

Graham smiled at him. "Go ahead and go home David. She'll be here in less than 3 hours."

XXX

He was nervous. So freaking nervous. He was meeting his daughter, for the second time. He didn't even remember much of the first time. He was holding his baby, then he woke up to the beautiful woman reading to him.

What if she hates him? What if she wants to leave? What if he's a terrible father? He doesn't even know who her mother is! "Hold yourself together Nolan." He told himself.

The doorbell rang. He made his way over to the door and answered it, with a smile on his face, which only widened when he was his beautiful 8-year old daughter.

 _ **Please Review...**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

David and Emma stayed in the living room while Cassandra did a check of his house to make sure it was fit for a child. They were sitting across from each other on separate couches.

David was looking at Emma and it killed him how tiny she was. He made a note that she needs to eat more than she currently does. "So Emma. Do you uh, like to do anything for fun?"

"Doesn't everyone?" She remarked. It came out pretty rudely. "Sorry."

He smiled at her. "That's alright. I'm sure this is all very confusing for you."

She gave a weak smile in return. "I read sometimes. And I go on walks. But mostly I sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. I love sleep." She answered simply.

He chuckled. "So, what do you like to read? Anything specific?"

Emma chewed on her lip for a minute, pondering on whether or not she wanted to show him her books, eventually she relented. She grabbed her book bag and moved onto the same couch as David. She pulled her only two books out and put them on her lap. "This one is _The Ugly Duckling_ , it's the only reason that I like my last name. I used to not like it, but someone read it to me and told about the ugly duckling turning out to be a beautiful swan. I like the name now." She said, absentmindedly flipping through the pages. She closed that book and moved it aside, then she opened her storybook. "This is just a really big storybook that I've had for like ever. It makes Snow White look like less of a wimp. She's totally awesome in here. She's a bandit and her prince charming isn't really a prince! He's a shepherd that had to pretend to be a prince! Isn't that cool?"

Unbeknownst to them, Cassandra was watching from the doorway with a smile on her face.

David was ginning so widely, he was sure he might actually break his face, but he didn't care. "That's unbelievably cool. Maybe I could read it to you sometime?" He suggested.

Emma smiled. "Really?" David nodded. "That'd be awesome!" That's when she saw Cassandra watching them. "Did you hear that Cassie! He's gonna read to me! Can you believe it?"

Cassandra smiled, she hadn't seen Emma this excited in quite a while. "That's great Emma. I better be heading out now. You have my number?" Emma nodded. "Be good, alright?"

"I promise."

Cassandra went over and shook David's hand. "Call me if you need anything." And with that, she left.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to go into town to get something to eat?" David asked shortly after Cassie left. Emma nodded. "Should we walk or go in my truck?"

"Walk."

David and Emma walked hand-in-hand to Granny's Diner. When they walked into the Diner all eyes were on them, luckily Granny put a stop to it. "Mind your own!" She scolded nearly all the customers. "Sorry about that David. Who's this?" She asked, smiling gently at Emma.

"I'm Emma." She answered quietly, squeezing David's hand.

David smiled. "We're just gonna pick a booth now." He informed Granny and they made their way over to a booth in the corner.

"What can I order?" She asked him.

He smiled at her. "Anything you want. If it's on the menu, you can get it." He leaned in and whispered, "As long as it's not alcohol. I'd have to arrest you." He joked and Emma giggled.

Seconds later a waitress came over. "Hiya there honey. I'm Ruby. What do you want to eat?"

"Grilled cheese and onion rings… oh and hot cocoa with cinnamon please." She answered.

Ruby smiled. "You know, there's only one other person I know that orders that." She said and as if on cue, said woman walked through the door. "Speak of the devil."

"Mary Margaret!" David said, waving her over. "There's someone I want you to meet." He grinned. "This, is Emma."

The woman smiled. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Emma. Mind if I… join you?" She asked, she wasn't sure if she should, especially since David just got his daughter back, but Emma nodded.

"Can she David?"

He- of course- nodded. "Absolutely."

Ruby was just standing there. "You want your usual Mare?" She asked with a wink.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes and blushed slightly at her best friends not-so-subtle remarks about her and David's non-existent relationship. "Yes."  
After Ruby gave them their food, the bell above the door rang and Emma looked over and saw a woman with short black hair come inside, she made a chill run down Emma's spine. The woman spotted her and began walking over to them. "Who are you." She asked rudely.

Emma gulped, eyes wide. This woman was scary, but Emma could also see a hint of sadness behind her eyes. David noticed Emma's reluctance, so decided to answer for her. "Hello Madam Mayor. I'm fine. How are you?" David responded, the mayor didn't even flinch. He sighed. "This is Emma. My daughter."

The mayor hummed in response then went over to the counter. "Who was that?"

"That's Regina." Mary Margaret answered. Emma just nodded in response. Mary Margaret turned to look at David. "Have you enrolled her in school yet?"

Emma couldn't contain her eye roll. David chuckled. "That's where we're headed next. The plan is for her to start on Monday."

After they finished eating the two bid Mary Margaret goodbye and got her enrolled in school, went shopping for school supplies and casual clothes. The school supplied uniforms for school, so they didn't have to worry about that.

XXX

Emma was laying in her bed reading her storybook, when David knocked on the door. "Come in."

"Hey Emma. Did you have a good day?" She nodded and that's when David spotted the storybook on her lap. "Do you want me to read to you?"

She smiled. "Yeah. I'd really like that. People don't read to me a lot. I like being read to."

He mirrored her smile and sat on the edge of her bed and began reading to her. Within a few minutes she was snoring, he smiled at his beautiful daughter. He shut the book and set in on her nightstand.

Then he tucked her in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I love you princess."

XXX

Emma woke up in the middle of the night, confused, she didn't know where she was. Did someone tuck her in? Then it all came back to her. She wasn't abandoned. Her dad didn't abandon her. He was in a coma her whole life. He does want her. He does love her. She's not an orphan.

She couldn't help it. She wants to see him, but she doesn't wanna wake him up. He might be upset. He might be mad that she's up at- she looked over at the clock on her nightstand- 3am.

She decided against waking David and decided to just get a glass of water, then go back to sleep.

She went downstairs and began looking through the cabinets, she opened a cabinet that she could barely reach, hoping that the cups weren't in there- much to her demise- they were. "Great." She muttered.

She pulled a chair over and stood on it to get a cup. Just as she was climbing down with the cup she slipped and off the chair, causing herself to fall and shatter the glass cup. She gasped and started picking up the pieces with her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She kept repeating under her breath, tears streaming down her face.

David heard the glass breaking and ran downstairs where the noise came from. He saw his daughter on the floor and he could hear her saying something, but he wasn't sure what it was. He didn't even notice the pile of broken glass, he was too worried about her. "Emma?"

Her head snapped up. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was an accident!"

"Hey, hey. It's okay." That's when he noticed that her hand was bleeding, then his eyes drifted to the glass on the floor. "You're bleeding." He lifted her over the pile of glass on the floor and sat her on the counter.

"It was an accident David! Please don't be mad!"

He smiled gently at her. "I'm not mad. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was thirsty, but I couldn't reach the cups." She hiccupped. "I got the chair and got a cup, but I fell. I'm really really sorry David. I should've just waited til morning."

"How about next time, just wake me up. Alright?" Emma nodded. "I'm gonna go get the first aid kit. I'll be _right_ back. Stay here." He told her and she nodded.

He came back a few second later with the kit and began cleaning her hand. "Ow." She pulled her hand back.

He winced. "I know it hurts kiddo, but I have to clean it out." She nodded and gave him her hand back.

"I'm sorry. Please don't send me back. I'll be better."

It broke David's heart. "I'm not." He promised her. "You're my daughter." He wiped a stray tear from her face. "I refuse to lose you again kiddo." He finished cleaning her hand. "All done. Are you hurt anywhere else." She shrugged. He smirked. "Where else?" She pointed to her knee. He rolled her pajama pants up and saw a bruise on her knee. "It's just a bruise, but I'll get you some ice."

"Thank you."

 _ **Please Review...**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Emma's been in Storybrooke for a few weeks now. She's learned a few things.

The mayor doesn't like her. But she _hates_ Miss Blanchard. She doesn't understand why though, Miss Blanchard's the nicest person she knows. She doesn't like David too much either. She's learned that Ruby doesn't fight with Granny as much as before. Ashley's gonna pop any day now. Mr Gold is just _creepy._ She grateful for him and all, but he's still creepy.

She goes to Granny's and runs into Ashley. "Hi Ashley!" She also notices that Ashley doesn't look too well. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just fine." She said, holding onto her pregnant belly like her life depended on it. "I gotta get out of here though. Away from Gold."

Emma tilted her head. "Why?" Her eyes widened when she realized what she was talking about. "He wants you baby?" Ashley merely nodded. "David can help! I'll get David! You stay here."

Her and David returned just a few minutes later. "Where is she?"

"She was just here! I swear! I told her to stay! She was scared David. She thought Mr Gold was gonna take her baby away."

David sighed, he had a bad feeling. "I have to go find her." He began leaving the diner, Emma followed. "I need you to stay here with Granny. I'll be back." She nodded, but decided against listening. When he wasn't paying attention, she climbed into the back of his truck. After about twenty minutes of driving, she decided to make herself known. She opened the window between the back of the truck to the inside of the truck. He didn't even see her, he was driving. She gripped onto the seal of the window, if she startled him, he was likely to slam on the breaks. "Hiya David!" She was right, he slammed on the breaks.

"Emma?" She smiled sheepishly. "I thought I told you stay with Granny."

She gave him an innocent smile. "You did, but is it _so_ wrong that I want to spend the day with my father?"

He sighed. "That's not fair." He grumbled. "Fine. But get _in_ the truck, I don't want you getting hurt back there." She smiled triumphantly and obliged.

XXX

Ashley's in the hospital and Emma's made a deal with creepy Mr Gold, but decides not to tell David, she thinks he won't be too happy about that.

"Come on kiddo. Let's get home." David says coming towards her, grabbing her hand. "I think we both need something to eat. I'm starved. You?"

Emma nodded. "Definitely."

XXX

Emma's starting to notice things around town. Weird things.

The mayor reminds her of the evil queen in her book. Ruby reminds her of little red riding hood. Miss Blanchard reminds her on Snow White. David reminds her of Prince Charming, and that's perfect, because it's obvious to Emma and to everyone else that Mary Margaret and David like each other. Dr. Hopper reminds her of Jiminy Cricket. Creepy Mr Gold is definitely Rumpelstiltskin- the Dark One. Granny is… well, she's Granny. Ashley's cinderella. Sean's Prince Thomas. That's not all. There's so much more.

She is starting to think she's going crazy, but ignores the feeling. She doesn't tell anyone that she notices these things though. They'll call her crazy and make her dad send her back. She doesn't want that. She's decided that her storybook is real. Everyone from the Enchanted Forest was cursed here by the mayor- also known as, the Evil Queen. She is destined to break the curse. She just has to figure out how.

XXX

The next week a sinkhole forms on the edge of town, it causes everything to shake and rumble. The proof's there. Emma figures. There has to be proof underground. It makes sense.

She's at recess and when she knows that no classmates or teachers are watching, she sneaks off to the sinkhole. She doesn't expect Archie to see her sneak off and follow her. She definitely didn't expect him to text David after he saw her go inside the sinkhole.

After sending David the message, Archie follows Emma in the sinkhole and he hears her muttering this to herself. Things like, "I need proof," and "the curse," and "I'm the savior."

"Emma? What are you doing?" He questioned.

She jumped and spun around, eyes wide. "Archie! I… uh… got lost?" She tried.

"Lying Emma? Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything." She rolled her eyes. "I've already texted your father, we should get out of here, it's unstable."

"No!" Emma protested. "I have to find proof!" She began walking further inside the mine.

"Proof of what, Emma?" Archie asked, following her.

She sighed. "The curse! I need proof of the curse! If I don't have proof, then no one will believe me!" She yelled, then everything started shaking again and rocks were falling everywhere, causing both Archie and Emma to fall down. Achie, hurting his leg and Emma, cutting her head.

Archie limped over to where Emma had fallen. "Are you okay?" He asked, after helping her up.

"Yeah. Maybe you're right. I think we should leave." They walked back to where they came from, but they both stopped when they saw that the entrance was blocked off. "Well… looks like we're stuck." She began walking away.

"Emma! Emma! What are you doing? Where are you going?"

She looked down and saw a piece of glass and picked it up, then shoved it in her pocket. It could be proof. "We're stuck Archie. I might as well find proof!" She ran deeper into the abandoned mines.

"Emma. I'm truly frightened for you." He said running after her.

She stopped. "Because you think I'm crazy? You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"No Emma. Because we're trapped in an abandoned mine and there's no way out."

She paled slightly realizing that they were truly trapped. "Well… there has to be another way out." She pulled a flashlight and an apollo candy bar out of her bag. "Let's look!"

They've been navigating through the mines for a few hours now. Emma was _starving._ Then she heard a dog bark. "Did you hear that?"

Archie listens for a moment, then he heard it. "Pongo?"

"My dad! He's come to save us! He's gonna save us!" She doesn't even care how much trouble she'll be in. All she cares about now, is that her dad has come to save her and hopefully feed her. They follow the noises and come across an elevator shaft. "What's that?"

"It appears that it's an old elevator. It's to get miners in and out."

Emma eyed it wearily. "Can we get it to work?"

He shrugged. "Let's give it a shot." After about an hour, they get the elevator, kind of working. "Come on!"

Archie and Emma have been sitting in the elevator for a few minutes. "I'm sorry Archie. Really really sorry. I just wanted to find proof."

He smiled weakly at her. "That's quite alright Emma." Then suddenly the elevator begins to fall further down the shaft. Emma screams. It scared her. Archie yelps. It scared him as well.

Rocks begin falling and then they see a light. "What's that?"

"I think that might be our rescue team." Emma smiled.

"Hey. You guys okay?" She heard her dad ask. David is so focused on Emma's bright smile that he doesn't see the cut on her head. Archie lifts her into her father's arms and she squeezes him so tight, she doesn't think she'll ever let go, nor does he want her to. "Don't let go Em." He pulled Archie up and hooked part of the harness to him. "Pull us up Marco!"

They were all pulled out of the shaft. Emma refuses to let go. "I'm hungry." She whispered in his ear.

"I could imagine. You did _sneak out of school_ before lunch, and it's well past dinner time now." She responded by lying her head on his shoulder, only loosening her grip slightly. "How does Granny's sound?" He felt her nod her head. "Granny's it is."

"My head hurts." She whimpered. "And I'm sleepy too."

David put her down. "Can you let go?" She shook her head. David chuckled. "Please? I have to look at your head." She slowly let go and David winced at the amount of dry blood on her forehead. "Okay, let's have a paramedic look at you real quick and if they say you're good to go, then we can go get something to eat."

She let out a whimper of protest, but wrapped her arms back around David's neck.

David walked over to the paramedic with Emma in his arms and sat her down in the ambulance. "Do you think you check out my daughter's head?"

A paramedic nodded and began looking at it and touching around it. "It appears to be superficial. I can tape it here, instead of the hospital."

David nodded. "Thank you."

"You'll just need to give her some children's tylenol if her head bothers her."

Emma fell asleep on the way to Granny's. David carried her inside and sat her in a booth- still sleeping. He woke her up when they got their food, she ate it all. They went home and David helped Emma up to her room. She hugged him tightly. "Emma. Never do that again. Ever." He returned the hug. "I was worried sick."

"Never again." She promised. "I'm sorry." She squeezed him even tighter. "I love you." She whispered, then released him and climbed under the covers.

He tucked her in, then kissed her forehead. "I love you too princess."

 _ **Please Review...**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It's been almost 2 months since the mines incident. Archie requested that Emma become his patient after what happened.

Last week David and Emma helped to convince Ava and Nicholas' father, Michael Tillman, to take care of the children he never knew existed- because of the curse.

Emma and David were walking through town square when they saw someone on an unfamiliar motorcycle. Emma, being Emma, let go of David's hand and ran towards the bike, when she saw who was on it, she nearly exploded with happiness. "Auggie!"

August smiled widely. "Hey there, Swannie! Whatcha been up to kid?" He asked, ruffling her hair.

"I found my dad Auggie! My real dad! Well… he found me, but still!" She hugged him. "I missed you!"

David caught up with her after a few seconds. "Emma." He said, out of breath. "How are you so fast?" He questioned and Emma giggled.

"David, meet Auggie."

August rolled his eyes. "It's _August._ " He shook David's hand. "I used to be Emma's foster brother, in a few homes."

David narrowed his eyes. "How old are you?"

"16 and emancipated." He lied about the last part. "Just got emancipated a few weeks ago, after I turned 16." Still lying.

David nodded. "Good to meet you August. I'm David Nolan. How long have you known Em?"

"Her whole life. I'm the one that found her." He answered.

XXX

August has been in town for about a week now and he decides to tell Emma about the curse. "Emma, I have to tell you something important." He said, then took a sip of his coffee. They're at Granny's.

"You're Pinocchio."

He nearly choked on his coffee. "What? You-you know?"

She shrugged. "I actually just learned about it a few months ago, and I have to see a therapist because of it, but it's okay. As soon as I break this curse, I won't have to anymore."

"When'd you start seeing the shrink?" August asked.

"Around the time that I got myself trapped in a mine looking for proof. My dad had to rescue us. I still have a tiny scar." She pointed to a barely noticeable scar on her forehead.

XXX

It's been about 2 more months and Emma had managed to get herself kidnapped by the bloody mad hatter! "Please! Just let me go!"

"Not until you make the hat! Make it work!"

She was doing everything in her power not to cry. "I don't know how."

"You have magic! You're the only one! Do it! Now!"

She just sat there trying to make this guy a magic hat, wondering how the heck she got there, that's the thing though, she doesn't remember.

XXX

"How long has she been gone?" Graham asked his deputy.

David ran a hand over his face. "2 hours ago, I told her that she can ride her bike, but that I don't want her gone any longer than an hour."

"David. Calm down. We'll find her. I'll assemble a search party. No stone will be left unturned. Her bike, it's green, right?"

David nodded. "It has blue streamers too."

Within the hour, almost all of the town was in town square, curious of what they were doing there. "Okay, this is time-sensitive, so I'm just gonna get straight to the point. Nearly 3 hours ago, Emma Nolan left her house for a bike ride and hasn't been seen since." There were lots of gasps from the crowd. "If you'd like to participate in the search party, sign up at Granny's."

Over half of the town helped with the search for Emma.

XXX

David was searching the park with three other people when he saw a message in his phone.

 _G: Found a bike in the SW woods. Bring your group. We're narrowing our search to the woods._

XXX

They've been searching the woods for about an hour now, then they came across a mansion in the woods, David was going up the steps to knock on the door, when he spotted a necklace that he had given Emma for Christmas a few months ago.

He picked it up and handed it to Graham. "Probable cause?"

"Damn straight." Graham answered. David kicked the door in.

"David!" They heard Emma scream from upstairs.

XXX

Emma couldn't bite back her tears anymore. "Please! It's not working! I don't have magic! We're in a land _without_ magic!" She cried. "I wanna go home! I want to see my dad!" Just then, they heard a loud crash come from downstairs. She knew it was her dad. "David!" She yelled, then she felt a pinch in her neck and the world black.

Jefferson pulled his gun out and held it to Emma's head. Then the sheriff and deputy came in the room.

David's eyes widened when he saw his eight year old daughter unconscious. "What did you do to my daughter?!"

He laughed like a maniac. "She's be _fine._ Just sleeping is all." He rolled his eyes. "But if I were you, I wouldn't come any closer!" He smiled. "You wanna know what happens if i shoot her?"

"I blow your bloody head off." Graham answered. "Blood mad man."

Jefferson started laughing. "Maybe! Just maybe! But, guess what else. The curse will break! The savior dies, the curse breaks! It's a rule! That's how it works!"

He was so focused on David and Graham, that he didn't hear or see Sean Herman climb in through the window behind him. Sean yanked his arms back- before he had a chance to fire the gun- and then Graham came over and cuffed him.

"Emma. Wake up sweetie." He kept stroking her face, but got no response. "I think he drugged her. We need to get her to the hospital."

XXX

He was sitting by her hospital bed, waiting for Emma to wake up. She started mumbling things in her sleep. "I wanna go home." He heard her say, then she began thrashing.

"Shh, it's okay. You're okay. Dad's here. Your dad's here. I've got you."

He couldn't seem to calm her down. "I want my dad." She cried. "Please."

"Emma. Emma, wake up." Her eyes snapped open. "There you are."

She jumped into his arms. "I love you… dad."She whispered in his ear. She squeezed him and she squeezed back and began crying. "I-I didn't know how to. He kept saying make a magic hat. I don't know how." She cried. "He just kept saying I have magic and I don't have magic. I just wanted to come home."

"Don't worry about him. He's in jail now. He can't hurt you anymore."

XXX

Emma and David were at Granny's 3 weeks after the whole mad hatter incident. "Dad, I'm gonna go talk to Regina." He looked reluctant. "I'm literally going to be right there." She said, pointing to the counter seat next to the mayor.

"Fine." He relented. "But, Emma. For the love of God, _please_ don't wander off."

She smiled. "I'll do my best!" She ran over and sat on the counter seat next to where Regina was sitting, she grinned. "Hi Regina!"

"... hi?" She sighed. "What do you want?"

Emma smiled brightly. "I know the key to your happiness!" She proclaimed. "I know that you want kids."

Regina looked at her like she had two heads. "Pardon?"

Emma ignored her statement. "My dad's happy because he has me… even though he can't be with his true love. Ashley's really happy because she has her true love and little Alex. And Mr Tillman is happy too. Robin Hood too, he has Roland. But then there are unhappy people who don't have kids. You. Jefferson. Rump… Rumpel… uh, the Dark One. Gepetto. Mr French. Lots of people. I think you might be happy if you adopt a kid." She finished.

XXX

Months later, Regina adopted a beautiful 3-year old boy, Henry Daniel Mills- who coincidentally enough, becomes Roland's best friend.

XXX

Emma was lying in bed and her father was tucking her in, then an idea came to her. Does true loves kiss work between father and daughter? He's kissed her goodnight multiple times. Unless since she's the savior, she has to be the one to deliver the kiss. It's worth a shot.

"I love you dad." She said and kissed his cheek. A rainbow light flew throughout all of Storybrooke. She sat up and watched as David's face went from love, to confusion, to realization, then back to love. "Did it work?"

David smiled, then picked her up and spun her around. "You did it!" Emma smiled brightly. "Let's go find your mom!" Emma put slippers on and they left to find her mother, Snow Freaking White.

They found her at Granny's. "Snow!" David yelled and then Snow ran into his arms. They kissed… passionately, too passionately for Emma's taste.

Snow turned to Emma and cupped her face in her hands. "You found us." She whispered and kissed her forehead.

Emma smirked. "I will always find you." Then she began giggling, then was crushed in a bone crushing group hug by her parents.

 **The End**

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